The Correlation Between Accounting Conservatism and the Efficiency of Investment Decisions in View of Managerial Ownership: A Field Study of Jordanian Environment

Authors

Muayad Mohammed Ali Al-fadhel

 

Abstract

Aim: The study aims to examine the correlation between accounting conservatism and the efficiency of investment decisions in view of managerial ownership variance which is regarded as one of the main principles of determining investment decisions efficiency. Methodology: A model was designed based on the consideration that accounting conservatism represents the independent variable, while the investment decisions efficiency represents the dependent variable. The research measured the accounting conservatism in the companies of the sample by using Basu scale (1997); while using Biddle et. al. (2009) model to measure the dependent variable. To achieve the objective of the study, the study tested the hypothesis by implementing the designed model but with different levels of managerial ownership on a sample of 87 Jordanian companies from 2013 to 2017. Results: The results of the study supported its hypothesis; as it showed the existence of different correlations between accounting conservatism and investment efficiency decisions according to the difference in the ratio of managerial ownership. Practical implication: It was revealed that the majority of the Jordanian companies don’t implement conservative accounting policies. This has led to the prevalence of the phenomenon of asymmetry of information and consequently, inefficiency of investment decisions. The results also revealed that in conservative companies, the efficiency of investment decisions depended on the level of marginal conservatism, which differs from one managerial ownership level to another. Scientific authenticity: The significance of the study lies in refuting the concept that the benefit of the accounting conservative in improving the quality of financial reports, the efficiency of investment decisions as well as reducing agency problems; is absolute and is not affected by the management benefit. Moreover, the study proposes what the research named as ‘The Marginal Level of Conservative Benefit’, which resulted as a consequence of the correlation between conservatism and managers’ motivation.

DOI: 10.51958/aaujblv3i1p2pp1-26